Harlem fishmonger employee charged with fatal stabbing, victim also charged with robbery, burglary and assault
Harlem, Manhattan (WABC) — One man has died and his brother has been charged, as does the man who allegedly stabbed them at a Harlem fishmonger on Tuesday.
Employee 34-year-old Junior Aquino Hernandez stabbed two brothers accused of rowdy behavior and attempted to steal fish, one of whom was fatally injured, before being charged with murder, assault, and a weapon. was first charged with criminal possession of
But the Manhattan District Attorney on Thursday decided to pursue only the assault charges against Hernandez because prosecutors said they were investigating whether the stabbing was justified.
Also on Thursday, it was announced that the surviving brother, 29-year-old Robert Burrell, was charged with robbery, burglary and assault. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.
It happened just before 9:45 pm on Tuesday at the Express Fish Market in St. Nicholas Place.
Police say one of the men was thrown out of the store after trying to steal a container of shrimp. After some time he returned with his younger brother.
Brothers Malik Burrell, 25, and Robert, 29, quickly became confused and threw stools on the counter area in an attempt to grab a fish.
As they approached the fishmonger employee, Hernandez allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed them both.
Both were stabbed to the torso and taken to Harlem Hospital, where Malik died Wednesday morning.Robert’s condition is stable.
The brother’s family says Malik should have celebrated his 25th birthday.
The amount of blood at the scene was too graphic to display.
His loved ones showed up at the scene to talk to eyewitness news, hoping to set the record straight.
Family members said Robert had gone to the market to buy food for his brother Malik’s birthday.
Malik shows up later, hoping to help his brother with food, but is fatally stabbed.
The family says the brothers had no reason to steal and the allegations are false.
“My whole family, my granddaughter, everyone was sitting there waiting for me to come back from the store with Dagon. I had food that they were supposed to cook, but they didn’t come back. “My sons have no reason to receive anything. They have money. They have money. I have money. I have money.” I know there are. They have jobs.”
Police said Hernandez, 34, left after being stabbed. Detectives told his superiors to call him, and he was returned to custody.
In one of the camera angles recovered by detectives, the two brothers appear to have been stabbed as they were pushed out the front door of the restaurant by other employees.
Detectives are stepping through this video frame by frame as the investigation continues.
———-
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit your tips and story ideas to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for an article to cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If you would like to attach a video or photo, Terms of use apply.
https://abc7ny.com/harlem-fish-store-brothers-stabbed-man-killed-employee-stabs/12866612/ Harlem fishmonger employee charged with fatal stabbing, victim also charged with robbery, burglary and assault
